Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said

Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has been announced as Sultan of Oman.

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said was born on 13th October 1954 and is the grandson of Sultan Taimur bin Faisal bin Turki Al Said and first cousin of Sultan Qaboos (Sultan Haitham’s father Sayyid Tariq and Sultan Qaboos’s father Sultan Said were brothers – Sayyid is the equivalent of prince and Sultan is a monarch). His father Tariq, bin Taimur Al Said was Prime Minister in 1970-71 and held various other governmnet psts both before then and after.

Sultan Haitham undertook Pembrook Colledge Oxford  Foreign Service Programme in 1979. Between 1996-2002 he was Secretary-General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said

From 2002 he has been Oman’s Minister for Heritage & Culture.
Sultan Haithum has four children,

Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said

including Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, who is a diplomat in the Omani embassy, London – Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, an architect,  and two daughters, Sayyida Thuraya bint Haitham Al Said & Sayyida Omaima bint Haitham Al Said.

Haitham bin Tariq Al Said 2040 meeting
Haitham bin Tariq Al Said 2040 meeting

Sultan Haithum is the Chairman of the main Oman 2040 committee, 2040 is a focus on creating an Oman able to compete successfully in the modern world and to support its citizens.

Remarkably Sultan Haitham is a fan of Cricket and a member of the Cricket Club of India. Less surprising is that he was President of the Oman Football Association between 1983 – 1986.

 

Author: Tony Walsh

Book author including the current Bradt guide to Oman